Trenton Thunder finally get a win, but still in search of leaders

Beverly Schaefer/For The TimesThunder center fielder Austin Krum dives to try and make a second inning catch but can't come up with the ball tonight against Binghamton.

TRENTON - There is plenty of room alongside the placard of Minor League Baseball rules outside the home clubhouse at Waterfront Park for another sign that could solicit help for a Thunder team barely hanging on, in spite of tonight's 8-5 victory over Binghamton in front of another fireworks-fueled crowd of 7,316.

It could read something like this:
WANTED: Team leader with the respect of his teammates willing to not only lead by example, but also get in someone’s face when necessary. Interested applicants can see manager Tony Franklin for instant approval.

That’s right.

The first player that shows any interest in the job gets it because, well, no one seems to want the gig, according to Franklin.

“I am the leader of this club, but a lot of times it needs to come from someone in that room,’’ Franklin said following Wednesday’s four-error debacle against the B-Mets (49-69).

“We talked about it in Bowie, (but) I don’t know if they know how to do that. Someone needs to step forward and be able to stand in front of you and say, ‘This is where we are, this is what we need to do, and what we are doing is not acceptable.’ It takes a lot of guts to do that and not everyone is willing to do it. Not everyone is capable of doing it.’’

With a lineup devoid of catcher Austin Romine and outfielder Ray Kruml, who are both on the disabled list, the Thunder (59-58) managed to pull themselves off the canvas Thursday night after a string of 10 losses in their previous 12 games.

Beverly Schaefer/For The TimesThunder outfielder Zoilo Almonte delivered a two-out double in the bottom of the seventh to erase a 5-4 Binghamton lead and help Trenton avoid a three-game sweep Thursday night at Waterfront Park.

Trenton did it with the help of Binghamton starter Brandon Moore, who failed to hold a 5-2 lead, and a bullpen that leaked four more runs in the seventh and eighth innings.

The Thunder avoided dropping under .500 for the first time since May 5 despite another rough outing by Steve Garrison. The pride of Ewing Township was rocked for 11 hits and five earned runs over five painful frames.

After racking up 130 errors over the first 116 games, the Thunder did not kick a single ball last night, and will look to win back-to-back games for the first time since July 26-27 against Harrisburg and the best minor league baseball prospect on the planet, Bryce Harper, this weekend.

Capping an otherwise embarrassing three-game homestand against the team with the worst won-loss record in the Eastern League with a well-earned, come-from-behind victory is a start, but Franklin needs more to get his club through the dog days of August.

“Everybody’s out there trying,’’ Franklin said. “Is there such a thing as trying too hard? I don’t think so. I think it is part of our nature to go out there and give everything we’ve got. I don’t see anybody quitting or laying down, but what I do see is a lack of execution.”